Cycling feed apparatus



July 8,1969 w, A, A'Mgs 3,454,205

CYCLING FEED APPARATUS F i led Nov. 14, 1967 o o o of) o 0 10 j o 0 0 0 0 o o '0 l INVENTOR. WARD A. AMES United States Patent US. Cl. 226-64 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Cycle feed apparatus including, generally, a lever arm which is adapted to be aflixed at its one end to a shaft of an advancing mechanism for operating it, and which has a first and second crank arm pivotally affixed to it, in spaced relation along its length. The first crank arm is reciprocally operated to pivot the lever arm between a first and a second position so as to rotate the shaft of the advancing mechanism. The second crank arm is pivotally afiixed to the first crank arm and is reciprocally operated by it to pivot the lever arm between the same first position and a third position. A pneumatic clutch is afiixed to one of the crank arms, the first crank arm in the illustrated example, and is operable to selectively drivingly couple the first and second crank arms to the lever arm to pivotally operate it. The shaft of the advancing mechanism, upon being rotated, operates the advancing mechanism to advance the feed stock and the like, to a first or a second station.

This invention relates, in general, to cycle feed apparatus and, in particular, to cycle feed apparatus which is operable to cyclically move feed stock and the like to a first or a second station, selectively and automatically.

In the manufacture of heat exchanger fins for air conditioners and the like, feed stock in the form of flat, thin sheet metal is progressively advanced through a forming apparatus which forms a number of apertures having upstanding flanges or spacers about them in it. The apertures are aligned in rows, and a heat exchanger fin may comprise a length of the feed stock having an even or an odd number of the rows of apertures. This length of feed stock, or fin, is automatically cut, and is fed to subsequent apparatus which arranges each of the fins into an array of stacked fins. This array of stacked fins thereafter is formed into a heat exchanger coil.

The forming apparatus for manufacturing the heat exchanger fins generally is equipped with cycle feed apparatus for progressively advancing the feed stock in a fashion such that the same apparatus can be used to manufacture fins having both an even and an odd number of the rows of apertures in them. The cycle feed apparatus presently available for automatically performing this operation, however, is generally unsatisfactory, for one reason or another. For example, in many cases, the apparatus is subject to frequent misalignment so that the feed stock is not properly advanced and is cut wrong so that the fins are useless. In other cases, the apparatus is not capable of operating at a fast enough rate, or is not capable of operating at a fast rate for any length of time.

The cycle feed apparatus of the present invention is particularly applicable for use with forming apparatus for manufacturing heat exchanger fins, to progressively advance the feed stock through the forming apparatus in the above-described manner. However, as will be apparent from the description below, the cycle feed apparatus also is adaptable to numerous different types of apparatus to cyclically move feed stock and the like to a first or a second station, selectively and automatically.

3,454,205 Patented July 8, 1969 Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide improved cycle feed apparatus.

More particularly, it is an object to provide improved cycle feed apparatus which is operable to cyclically move feed stock and the like to a first or a second station, selectively and automatically.

Another object is to provide cycle feed apparatus of the above type which is of simple construction, and virtually maintenance-free.

Still another object is to provide cycle feed apparatus of the above type which is operable at a higher rate of speed than heretofore generally possible.

A still further object is to provide improved cycle feed apparatus of the above type which has a fail-safe feature on a forward stroke of its cycle.

Another object is to provide improved cycle feed apparatus of the above type which is particularly applicable for use with apparatus for manufacturing heat exchanger fins for air conditioning apparatus and the like.

A still further object is to provide improved cycle feed apparatus of the above type which is easily adapted to existing apparatus for manufacturing heat exchanger fins.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.

The above objectives are accomplished with cycle feed apparatus including, generally, a lever arm which is adapted to be affixed at its one end to a shaft of an advancing mechanism for operating it, and which .has a first and a second crank arm pivotally affixed to it, in spaced relation along its length. The first crank arm is reciprocally operated to pivot the lever arm between a first and a second position so as to rotate the shaft of the advancing mechanism. The second crank arm is pivotally afiixed to the first crank arm and is reciprocally operated by it to pivot the lever arm between the same first position and a third position. A pneumatic clutch is affixed to one of the crank arms, the first crank arm in the illustrated example, and is operable to selectively drivingly couple the first and second crank arms to the lever arm to pivotally operate it. The shaft of the advancing mechanism, upon being rotated, operates the advancing mechanism to advance the feed stock and the like, to a first or a second station.

The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction, combination of elements, and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth, and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a partial perspective view of a heat exchanger fin forming apparatus having a cycle feed apparatus exemplary of the present invention affixed thereto;

FIG. 2 is a partial topplan view of the forming apparatus of FIG. 1, generally illustrating the advancing fingers thereof which are operated by the cycle feed apparatus to progressively advance the feed stock through the apparatus;

FIG. 3 is a side plan view of the cycle feed apparatus, illustrating the same in a first operative position, and at the end of a stroke;

FIG. 4 is a partial side plan view like FIG. 3, illustraing the cycle feed apparatus at the start of a stroke; an

FIG. 5 is a lined, diagrammatic view generally illusgrating the operation of the cycle feed apparatus of FIG.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawing.

trated a forming apparatus for fabricating heat exchanger fins, for air conditioning units and the like. The apparatus 10 includes, generally, a main frame represented by the reference numeral 11 having a progressive-type die 12 operatively affixed therein, over which feed stock 13 in the form of a length of fiat sheet of metallic, usually aluminum, material is fed. The feed stock 13 has a number of aligned rows of apertures 14 (FIG. 2), each of which has an upstanding flange or spacer formed peripherally about it, formed in it as it is progressively advanced through the apparatus 10. As the formed feed stock exits from the die area of the apparatus 10, it is cut by a cutting mechanism such as a knife blade or the like (not shown) into predetermined lengths, to form a heat exchanger fin, The heat exchanger fin next is removed from the apparatus 10, by means forming an integral part of it or by separate apparatus operatively associated with it, for subsequent use.

The feed stock 13 is progressively advanced through the forming apparatus 10, by means of fingers 16 (FIG. 2) which releasably engage within the apertures 14. The [fingers 16 are an integral part of an advancing mechanism (not shown) which is operated by a shaft 18. The fingers 16 extend through elongated slots 20 formed in a bed 21 of the apparatus 10, and are reciprocally operated as the shaft 18 is rotated clockwise and counterclockwise through a predetermined arcuate distance. As the fingers 16 are moved in one direction, rearwardly or to the left, as illustrated, they slidably disengage from the apertures 14, and as they are moved in the opposite direction, they releasably lock within the apertures 14 and slidably move the feed stock 13 through the apparatus 10. Holding fingers (not shown) also normally are provided and are adapted to releasably lock in a set of apertures 14 to hold the stock 13 while the fingers 16 are released and on the return stroke. Normally, for efficiency and higher production rates, the advacing mechanism is adapted to advance the feed stock 13 two rows of apertures at a time. The operation of the cutting mechanism, for cutting the heat exchanger fins from the length of feed stock 13, is synchronized with the operation of the advancing mechanism so as to cut the fins when the advancing mechanism has cycled a predetermined number of times. For example, if the fin is of the type having ten rows of apertures in it, the knife blade is operated to sever the fin from the length of feed stock, after the advancing mechanism has cycled five times.

The operation of the apparatus 10 to fabricate heat exchanger fins generally presents few, if any, problems, so long as the fins have an even number of rows of apertures 14 in them. However, as indicated above, many of the fins have an odd number of rows of apertures 14 in them. Accordingly, to maintain the same efl'iciency and high production rate while manufacturing fins having an odd number of rows of apertures in them, the advancing mechanism is operated so as to advance the feed stock 13 two rows at a time for 'a predetermined number of cycles, and then on the next cycle to advance the feed stock only one row. For example, if the fin is of the type having nine rows of apertures in it, the advancing mechanism is cycled four times to advance the feed stock 13 eight rows and then on the fifth cycle it is operated to advance the feed stock only one row. The cutting mechanism is then operated to sever the fin from the length of feed stock.

The rotation of the shaft 18 to operate the advancing mechanism, that is, the fingers 16 thereof, to progressively advance the feed stock 13 through the apparatus 10 in the above-described fashion is performed by cycle feed apparatus 22.

The cycle feed apparatus 22 of the present invention provides substantial improvements over those presently available and, as can be best seen in FIGS. 3 and 5, includes a lever arm 23 which is fixedly secured at its one .4 end to the shaft 18. This may be accomplished in any suitable fashion such as, for example, by extending a threaded bolt 24 through apertures formed in the lever arm 23 and in a flange 26 affixcd to the end of the shaft 18 and securing the same therein by means of nuts 28, as illustrated in FIG. 2.

The lever arm 23 is operated, in a manner fully described below, by means of a pair of crank arms 30 and 31. The crank arm 30 includes an arm section 32 which is rotatably aflixed, at its one end, to a pin 33 eccentrically affixed to a flywheel 34. The flywheel 34, in turn, is affixed to and rotatably driven by a shaft (not shown) which is an integral part of the apparatus 10. A pneu matic clutch in the form of an air cylinder 36 is fixedly secured to the opposite end of the arm section 32, and its piston 38 is pivotally afiixed by means of a pivot pin 40 to lever arm 23. Preferably, the piston 38 is aflixed to the lever arm 23 at a point substantially one-half the distance between the connection point of the shaft 18 and the connection point of the crank arm 31 Which, in the illustrated case, is at the end of the lever arm 23 remote from the shaft 18.

The air cylinder 36 has a pair of air lines 41 and 42 coupled to it which are, in turn, coupled to a source of air (not shown) through an electrically operated valve 43 and an air line 44. The air cylinder 36 includes a piston head 37 which is affixed to the end of the piston 38. The valve 43 is operable to selectively inject air under pressure, through respective ones of the air lines 41 and 42 into the air cylinder 36, atop or below the piston head 37 therein, so as to push the piston from, or to pull it into, the air cylinder, in a manner and for reasons set forth more fully below. When air is injected into the air cylinder on one side of the piston head, the air on the opposite side thereof also is simultaneously expelled.

The crank arm 31 includes an arm section 46 which is pivotally aflixed, at its one end, to the crank arm 30, at a spaced distance from the latters connection to the pin 33 and by means of a pivot pin 48. A cylinder 50 having a piston 51 freely and slidably retained therein is fixedly secured to the opposite end of the arm section 46, and its piston 51 is pivotally affixed by means of a pivot pin 52 to the lever arm 23. The piston 51 has a stop plate 53 affixed to it which abuts against a stop 54 on the end of the cylinder 50, to limit its travel into the cylinder.

The operation of the cycle feed apparatus 22 to progressively advance the feed stock 13 through the apparatus 10 is as follows. In the hereinafter described operation, clockwise rotation of lever arm 23 corresponds to the feed stroke, and counter-clockwise rotation corresponds to the return stroke. The operation, however, can be reversed, if desired. Normally, valve 43 is operated to inject air under pressure into the air cylinder 36 atop the piston head 37 therein, to push the piston 38 fully out of the air cylinder, with the piston head 37 bottomed on the end wall thereof, as illustrated in FIG. 3. When the piston 38 is fully extended and the pin 33 on the flywheel 34 is in its lowest position of travel, that is, at the lower limit of stroke for a given cycle, the lever arm 23 is in the position shown and represented by the straight line 58 in FIG. 5. The fingers 16 also are fully returned to a position where they will releasably lock in the apertures 14 and will advance the feed stock 13 through the apparatus 10 a distance corresponding to two rows of apertures 14, when the lever arm 23 is operated, as described below.

As the flywheel 34 is rotated, the lever arm 23 is pivotally moved upward, clockwise, about the pivot point formed by the connection to the shaft 18, by the crank arm 30. As the lever arm 23 is pivoted, the shaft 18 is rotated and, in turn, moves the fingers 16 forward so as to releasably lock them in the apertures 14 and advance the feed stock 13 through the apparatus 10. When the crank arm 30 reaches the end of its stroke, that is, when the pin 33 on the flywheel 34 is at its highest point of travel, the lever arm 23 is in the position represented by the straight line 56 in FIG. 5, and the fingers 16 have been moved to their forwardmost position, and the feed stock 13 has been advanced a distance corresponding to two rows of apertures 14.

As the flywheel 34 continues to rotate, the crank arm 30 returns the lever arm 23 to its initial starting position. The shaft 18, in turn, is rotated to disengage the fingers 16 from the apertures 14 and to again move them to the fully returned position to ready them to again releasably lock in the apertures 14, on the next stroke of the crank arm 30. As long as the piston 38 is extended as described above, on each cycle of operation, the crank arm 30 is operated to pivotally move the lever arm 23 so as to fully retract or return the fingers 16 to a position such that the feed stock 13 is advanced a distance corresponding to two rows of apertures 14, on the feed stroke. The piston 51 of the crank arm 31 freely and slidably moves into and out of the cylinder 50, so that the crank arm 31 has no effect on the operation of the lever arm 23, at this time.

If the heat exchanger fin formed by the apparatus has an even number of rows of apertures 14 in it, for example 10 rows, after 5 cycles of operation of the cycle feed apparatus 22, the cutting mechanism is automatically operated to sever the fin from the length of feed stock 13.

If the heat exchanger fin has an odd number of rows of apertures 14 in it, for example 9 rows, after 4 cycles of operation of the cycle feed apparatus 22, the valve 43 is operated to expel the air from atop the piston head 37 within the air cylinder 36, and to simultaneously injectvair into the air cylinder below it. The operation of the valve 43 can be controlled in any suitable fashion. For example, the valve 43 can be controlled by an arm (not shown) which is adapted to count the number of revolutions of the flywheel 34, or the shaft to which the latter is afiixed, and to energize the valve 43 to operate it after a predetermined set number of revolutions.

The stop plate 53 affixed to the piston 51 is abutted against the stop 54 on the end of the cylinder 50 when the piston 38 is fully extended and the crank arm 30 is at upper limit of its stroke. When the valve 43 is operated to inject air into the air cylinder 36 below the piston head 37, the stop plate 53 is forcibly held against the stop 54.

Now, as the flywheel 34 rotates, the crank arm 31 controls the operation of the lever arm 23. The stop plate 53 is held locked against the stop 54 by the air pressure exerted on the bottom of the piston head 37, and the piston head 37 is forcibly urged by the air pressure into air cylinder 36, during the downward stroke of the crank arms 30 and 31. The piston 38, accordingly, is moved into the air cylinder 36, to effectively shorten the length of the crank arm 30, so that the latter has no eflect on the operation of the lever arm 23. The crank arm 31 controls the operation of the lever arm 23, and since the stop plate 53 is being held locked against the stop 54 on the end of the cylinder 50, it is effective to pivotally move the lever arm 23 from the initial starting position represented by the straight line 56, to the position represented by the straight line 60 at the end of the stroke, because of its shorter length. It can be seen that the crank arm 31 pivotally moves the lever arm 23 through an angle 62 which is only /2 the angle 64, the latter being the angular distance it is moved by the crank arm 30.

The fingers 16 are operated in the same above-defined manner, however, in this case, on the return stroke, they are moved rearward only one-half the distance which they are moved by the crank arm 30. On the feed stroke, the fingers 16 now are moved forward so as to advance the feed stock only a distance corresponding to one row of apertures 14.

The cutter mechanism again is automatically operated, to sever the heat exchanger fin from the length of feed stock 13.

The valve 43 is again automatically operated during the up-stroke of the crank arms 30 and 31, to relieve the air pressure below the piston head 37 and to apply air pressure above it, so that the crank arm 30 is prepared to operate the lever arm 23 on the next cycle of operation.

With presently available cycle feed apparatus, a rate of approximately 270280 strokes per minute is the maximum which can be achieved. The cycle feed apparatus 22, on the other hand, can be operated at approximately 300-350 strokes per minute, so that a substantial gain in the production rate of the apparatus 10 is provided.

It may be further noted that the cycle feed apparatus 22 has a fail-safe feature in the event of loss of air pressure. It can be seen that the piston 38 will merely slide into and out of the air cylinder 36 if there is a loss of air. pressure since there must be air pressure on the top of the piston head 37 in order to maintain the piston 38 extendedrAccordingly, the crank arm 30 is ineffective to move the lever arm 23, and the feed stock 13 cannot be advanced until air pressure is restored. The crank arm 31 likewise isineffective to move the feed stock 13, since air pressure is required to lock the stop plate 53 against the stop 54.

While the cycle feed apparatus 22 is described above in connection with the operation of heat exchanger fin forming apparatus, to advance the feed stock a distance corresponding to a single row or a double row of apertures, it is readily apparent that other combinations of feed advances can be accomplished, for example, combinations such as three and two-row advances or four and threerow, as Well as numerous other combinations, can be accomplished so long as the design of the forming apparatus inconporates this capacity. It also is apparent that the cycle feed apparatus can be adapted to any machine or to any situation Where it is sometimes necessary to selectively move any type of feed stock, conveyor belt and the like a first and a second predetermined distance or to a first or second station during the operation thereof. Furthermore, it is apparent that the cycle feed apparatus 22 is relatively simple in construction, and requires little maintenance.

It will thus be seen that the objects set forth above, among those made apparent from the preceding description, are efficiently attained and, since certain changes may be made in the above construction without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Now that the invention has been described, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured 'by Letters Patent is:

1. Cycle feed apparatus comprising, in combination: a lever arm adapted to be aflixed to a shaft; a first crank arm afiixed to said lever arm and reciprocally operated to pivot said lever arm between a first and a second position so as to rotate said shaft; a second crank arm affixed to said first crank arm and to said lever arm and reciprocally operated by said first crank arm to pivot said lever arm between said first position and a third position; pneumatic clutch means operable to selectively drivingly couple said first and second crank arms to said lever arm; and means for operating said pneumatic clutch means.

2. Cycle feed apparatus, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said second crank arm includes coupler means and an arm section having one end thereof freely and slidably retained within said coupler means, the opposite end of said .arm section being aflixed to said lever arm; a stop on said coupler means; a stop plate on said arm section lockingly engageable with said stop; said pneumatic clutch means being operable to lockingly engage said stop plate with said stop to drivingly couple said second crank arm to said lever arm.

3. Cycle feed apparatus, as claimed in claim 2, wherein said coupler means and said air section comprise a hollow cylinder integral with said second crank arm, and a piston aflixed at one end to said lever arm, the opposite end thereof being freely and slidably retained Within said cylinder, said stop plate being affixed to said piston and said stop being integral with the mating face of the end of said cylinder.

4. Cycle feed apparatus, as claimed in claim 2, wherein said pneumatic clutch means is an integral part of said first crank arm and comprises an air cylinder having a piston which is affixed to said lever arm and which is operated by air pressure on a piston head therein, said piston normally being extended by air pressure on the top of said piston head to drivingly couple said first crank arm to said lever arm; valve means for removing the air pressure on the top of said piston head and for applying air pressure on the bottom of said piston head, said piston head being adapted to operate said piston to lockingly engage said stop plate With said stop to drivingly couple said second crank arm to said lever arm when air pressure is applied on the bottom thereof and means for operating said valve means to selectively drivingly couple said first and second crank arms to said lever arm.

5. Cycle feed apparatus, as claimed in claim 4, wherein said first and second crank arms are affixed to said lever arm and the length of said lever arm, said first crank arm with said piston fully extended and said second crank arm are such that said stop plate is engaged with said stop when said lever arm is in said first position.

6. Cycle feed apparatus, as claimed in claim 5, wherein said first crank arm is affixed to said lever arm substantially one-half the distance between the connection point of said lever arm to said shaft and the connection point of said second crank arm to said lever arm and the length of said lever arm and said first and said second crank arms are such that said third position to which said lever arm is pivotally moved to by said second crank arm is substantially one-half the distance between said first and second positions to which said lever arm is pivotally moved to by said first lever arm.

7. Cycle feed apparatus, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said pneumatic clutch means is an integral part of said first crank arm.

8. Apparatus for forming heat exchanger fins from a length of feed stock including a frame, a crankshaft which is rotated supported by said frame, and advancing means including a shaft and feed stock engaging means operated by said shaft to progressively advance said feed stock through said apparatus, and cycle feed apparatus for operating said advancing means to advance said feed stock, said cycle feed apparatus comprising a lever arm affixed to said shaft; a first crank arm afiixed to said lever arm and to said crankshaft, said first crank arm being reciprocally operated by said crankshaft to pivot said lever arm between a first and a second position so as to rotate said shaft to operate said feed stock engaging means to advance said feed stock a predetermined fixed distance; a second crank arm affixed to said first crank arm and to said lever arm and reciprocally operated by said first crank arm to pivot said lever arm between said first and a third position so as to rotate said shaft to operate said feed stock engaging means to advance said feed stock a different predetermined fixed distance; pneumatic clutch means operable to selectively drivingly couple said first and said second crank arms to said lever arm; and means for operating said pneumatic clutch.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,076,368 2/1963 Groll 226-139 X 3,216,277 11/1965 Groll 74-600 M. HENSON WOOD, JR., Primary Examiner RICHARD A. SCHACHER, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 74-581; 226142 

